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Marplan Diary

Posted by Ilene on February 19, 2004, at 8:52:49

Cubbybear asked me to post my Marplan experiences. Oskarsmom is also taking Marplan. Perhaps she will post, too, and re-post the link to the Marplan monograph.

My diagnoses: Unipolar depression (some hints of bipolar spectrum disorder), generalized anxiety disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, neurally mediated hypotension.

My personal situation is lousy. I'm too sick to work, and I've been hit by a series of personal setbacks over the last few years that have left me socially isolated. I have no social life because I've been too sick and depressed to do the activities where one usually meets people, and I haven't had the energy to maintain social relationships. I live with my son right now, but I'll be joining my husband and daughter in June or July in San Francisco. My relationship with my husband is uneven.

Previous meds included desipramine (a TCA), SSRIs (prozac, celexa, zoloft, maybe paxil), Wellbutrin, Effexor, Lamictal, Provigil, Dexedrine, and high doses of fish oils. The desipramine and Prozac worked for a few years and then pooped out.

Currently taking 900 mg. Neurontin at night for sleep, 0.1 mg. Florinef for hypotension, 0.25 mg. Klonopin (1/2 of a 0.5 mg. tablet) as needed for anxiety, and 0.25 mg. Risperdal. I nearly always need to take Klonopin in the morning.

(My pdoc told me to stop taking the Risperdal yesterday, so I did, and I woke up early this morning w/ intense anxiety. Now we know it's doing something.)

We chose Marplan because the side effect profile falls between Parnate and Nardil. One of my problems is that I can't tolerate stimulants anymore, so I don't want to take Parnate. I've been slowly increasing the ratio of coffee to decaf in my morning brew; seems to be working. I'm getting a bit of a boost instead of dysphoria.

I paid $31.49 for thirty 10 mg. tablets. I don't think my insurance covers this drug.

We are increasing the dose by 10 mg. every four days.

I started on Friday 2/13 with one tablet in the morning.

On Monday I felt good enough to take my son on a museum outing. I did not take any Klonopin that day.

On Tuesday I doubled the dose and I felt like a zombie all day. I'm not sure it was due to the Marplan because my son has been sick, and I could have been fighting off an infection.

Yesterday I took one Marplan in the morning and felt pretty good (comparatively), with my mood fading toward evening. I did *not* take my 5 p.m. dose of Risperdal. I took the second Marplan when I went to bed. No Klonopin at all.

Today (Thursday) I woke up early and anxious, as noted. I took my Klonopin and Marplan, called the pdoc , and she said to take the Risperdal. I'm starting to feel better (9:30 AM).

I *seem* to be responding, but sometimes I'll feel better for a few days for no reason I can discern. My short-term goal is to maintain a reasonable mood for 3 or 4 weeks. Then I'd like to volunteer somewhere in the hopes of regaining a social life.

Ilene


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